I stamped the single image three times.
Roughly pencilled in where I wanted the tags.
Cut out.
Glued the tags together to dimension the hive.

BeesFrom the same stamp set I stamped the bees onto acetate using Stazon Black ink.
Crystal glittered the wings.
Cut each bee out.
I stamped again onto lightweight card.
Using markers I then coloured the bodies.
Glittered the black with black holographic glitter.
Cut out the bodies.
Glued the bodies to the acetate bees.

FlowersMade using a small daisy punch and a five petal flower punch.
The daisy is constructed from two punch-outs, layered together.
The small flower is dimensioned using the same technique as my earlier box 'Violets'

I never glue anything down until I've played with the positioning of all the elements I'm going to use. Once I'm happy it's glue time!

Wednesday, 4 February 2009

This box was another commission. A friend asked me to make it for her friend Tina's big 'O' birthday. Tina and her partner Dave have the most beautiful garden, in Truro, Cornwall, UK, which they open to the public each year. It's called 'Poppy Cottage Garden' so it was clear what the theme should be.Here's the link to their garden website - it's well worth a look: http://www.poppycottagegarden.co.uk/

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO SEE THEM CLOSE UP.

Unfortunately for Tina, my friend Teresa didn't warn her that it was an exploding box and Teresa told me "poor Tina almost fainted when she lifted the lid off her box".

This image gives you some idea of the height of the explosion.

I like to keep the outside simple so that the inside is a surprise. Maybe not quite as much as it was for Tina though!

PoppiesI made a template for these poppies and cut them out from heavy weight red paper.Each poppy is made from two layers which I scored and creased before gluing together.I finished by dotting black ultra-fine glitter in the centres.

LeavesThese are made using a small daisy leaf die and tinted with VersaColor Evergreen ink

BeesThese were made using 'EJ Honey Bee' stamp set (one I designed myself).I stamped onto acetate using black Stazon, cut each bee out and crystal glittered the wings.I then stamped onto lightweight card, coloured the bodies using marker pens, cut the bodies out and glued them onto the acetate bees.I highlighted the black with ultra-fine, black holographic glitter.

Sunday, 1 February 2009

Diana commissioned this box for her daughter. The theme was violets because they were "Gran's favourite flowers".I love commissions because I learn something about that person and their family or friend. If I'm asked to make a box it is always for someone special and usually for a special reason. I feel privileged when they share a part of their family history with me and it's heartwarming to know how close some family relationships are.

Materials and Techniques:

Image Panels:

As with the origami box below, the panels are lime green card, tinted with VersaColor Evergreen and Marigold. The fern stamp is Stampendous 'Summer Leaves' stamped in Evergreen and then dotted with green ultra-fine glitter.These panels were mounted onto heavy weight black card - (cut 5mm larger and edged with holographic black glitter).

3D Leaves:

See-Dees self cling stamp 'Leaves #50052' stamped in VersaColor Evergreen, onto mid green lightweight card. I ran over the image lightly with VersaColor Evergreen and cut each leaf out when the ink was dry.The leaves were mounted onto fine strips of acetate and fixed to the box (side and centre panels).

Violets:

Eight flowers were punched out, from lilac lightweight card, using a large five petal flower punch and painted with Twinkling H2Os Purple.To dimension the flower - I embossed a line down the centre of each petal then cut between two petals (to the centre of the flower) and glued these petals together.I finished with a small, square, amber gemstone in the centre of each flower.The violets were attached to thin strips of acetate.Four (of the eight) were fixed to the four box side panels (before gluing the panels to the box).Four were attached to the box centre panel. This is demonstrated in my tutorial 'Small Butterfly Box' on my gallery site.

Flower Buds (paper beads):

Were made from long, triangular pieces of lilac lightweight card. Painted with Twinkling H2Os Purple.When the paint was dry the card strips were rolled tightly round a cocktail stick and glued.A thin strip of acetate was fed through each bud and glued in position.Finally, they were attached to the four side panels as described above.

Translate this page

About Me

Hi, my name is Elaine.
I make exploding boxes.
I call them magic boxes because they don't exactly follow the traditional approach.
I use strips of acetate and attach things to the tips (usually butterflies or flowers). Lift the lid, the box drops open, and the objects inside spring into the air.
Hope you enjoy my boxes and thankyou for visiting.
I also have a website:
www.magic-boxes.com